Amalgamator.



v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. GARD, OF RD, AND JOHN W. LYNN, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

AMALGAMATOR.

Patented May 8, 1906.

Application filed November 23. 1903- Serial No. 182,288.

. scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing hadto the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in amalgamators.

The aim of our invention is to provide a portable machine by means ofwhich the precious metals held within gold-bearingrplacers may betreated to separate the gold om the baser metals, and in carrying outthe object of our invention we provide a portable housing provided withan intake-opening, a plurality of concave bottoms within which are helda plurality of agitating-knives, and a plurality of self-coatingcollecting-troughs, and our invention embodies certain otherinstrumentalities described more fully hereinafter and finally pointedout in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings we have shown in Figure 1 a centralsectional View of an amalgamator embodying our invention. Fig. 2 shows atop view, while Fig. 3 discloses a detail, showing the end of thesupportingshafts.

In connection-with our amalgamator we provide a portable housing ofsuitable length, width, and depth, comprising the bottom 1, the sides 22, the ends 3 and 4, and the top 1, provided with the intake-opening 2.It will be noticed that the .end 4 does not quite extend to the top, soas to provide the exitopening 3, as shown. I

Held within the sides 2 of the housing is a v driving-shaft 5, providedwith a stem 5, to

which is secured an ordinary operating-handle. This shaft 5 passesthrough the sides 2 2, which are reinforced by the bearingplates 29 and0 and 29 and 0, as shown. This shaft 5 is secured upon one side with thechain-sprocket 30 upon the outside and within with the wheel .7 havingthe spokes 8, and to these spokes is secured a ring 9, and fastened tothe spokes 8 and the ring 9 by means of the ears a and a, held by thepins 6 and e, are the curved perforated agitatingknives A, provided withthe serrated edges f,

forming a knife-edge adapted to out and comminute any clay and clingingearth that may be fed into the amalgamator in the process of extractingthe gold.

Extending from the end 3 and curved slightly inward is the end plate 13,while extending from below the agitating-knives is the inclined bottom17, which ends adjacent a partition in the shape of an ogee, as is shownat 14 in Fig. l, and having the opposite edges 16 bent at an angle, sothat this curved partition may be properly secured within the housing.From the upper end of this partition extends the apron 15 to form aocket :20, as shown. Secured to a transverse ar 19 is the guard-plate20, the upper end 20 being recurved, and this guard-plate 20 is curvedoutward, so that in conjunction with the end plate 13 a narrow channel12 is formed, as shown, so that all material fed through the opening 2passes down this channel 12 and is engaged by the agitating-knives A.Held in alinement with the shaft 5 is a second shaft 6, provided withthe wheel 7, having the sprockets 8 and the ring 6, to which ring andwheel are secured a plurality of troughs B, having their ends 0recurved, as shown in Fig. 1, to form additional troughs or pocketsalong opposite edges, as shown. These troughs are also secured by meansof suitable pins 6, and within these troughs, which are made of suitablemetal, is placed a quantity of quicksilver or mercury washes from end toend within these troughs, and so insures the coating of the bottoms ofthese troughs. These troughs in rotating pass adjacent the partition 14,and in front of these troughs upon one side and so as to form a narrowchannel 2 is the shield 21, secured by means of its recurved edge 21 tothe supporting-bar 23, as shown. Secured to the end 4 and extendingupward is the inclined tailplate 28, provided with thedownwardly-extending apron 27, forming an upper pocket w, as shown inFig. 1. This shaft 6 also passes through suitable bearing-plates 29 and0, provided with the chain-gear 30, secured are thrown against the upperend of the partition 14 and should they move upward .would beintercepted by the apron 15. The

material after it would be fed through the opening 2, however, would becarried forward by the agitating-knives, which being perforated wouldpermit the material of the greatest specific gravity sifting through theperforations and being collected within the bottom of the compartmentwithin which the agitating-knives revolve. The remaining material feedsover the apron 15 and the partition 14 and is then engaged by the cups Bwhere the fiour-gold in coming in contact with the mercury-coatedtrough-bottoms B would be collected. The heavier particles of .goldwould collect within the bottom of the second compartment Within whichthe troughs are held, the coarser gold being collected within the firstcompartment and being liberated by the agitating-knives A.

The movement of the troughs B would have a tendency to wield thematerial upward to be checked within the compartment to, the

material finally finding an exit over the inclined tail-plate 28.

In actual use it is found that where the flour gold is covered bycertain substances, as is the case in certain localities in Colorado, it

is desirable to eliminate the troughs B and use-a "plurality of agitatin-knives A, as it is found that the action ofthe sand scours the gold toremove the coating, actual experience showing that the flour-go d aslong as coated will float, while the flour-gold will sink as soon as thelighter coatingis removed. In other localities, again, where the gold isfree of coating the same is advantageously collected by means of themercury-covered troughs B. While we have shown but one shaft providedwithagitating-knives and but oneshaft provided with a plurality oftroughs, it should be understood that in actual practice the machinesmay be provided with a plurality of agitating-shafts provided withagitating-blades and a plurality of shafts with=the self-coatingcollecting-troughs These amalgamators are made in suitable lengths andmaterial.

housing, a plurality of perforated agitatin knives secured to said shaftand rotating adjacent to the end of said channel, a curved partitionprovided with a downwardly-extending apron, a second curved guard-platepositioned adjacent said partition to form a second channel, a secondshaft passing through said housing, a plurality of troughs secured tosaid shaft, said troughs having opposite edges recurved, an inclinedtailplate secured adjacent the exit-opening within said housing providedwith a downwardlyextending apron, and means to operate said shafts.

2. The combination with a sluice provided with an intake-opening and anexit-opening, a curved end plate secured near the intakeopening of saidsluice, a curved guard-plate placed adjacent to said end plate to form achannel, a shaft passing transversely through said sluice, aplurality ofperforated agitatingknives secured to said shaft, and a curved partitionprovided with a downwardly-extending apron, substantially as set forth.

3. In an amalgamator, the combination with revoluble shafts, of aplurality of plates secured thereto, a series of finger-knives on theouter edges of said plates, a sluice and mercury-holding pockets.

4. In an amalgamator, the combination with revoluble shafts, of aplurality of perforated plates secured thereto and a series offingenknives on the outer edges of said'plates and a sluice.

5. In an amalgamator,ithe combination with a sluice provided with anintake and an exit opening, a curved guard-plate forming a channel, ashaft passing transversely through said sluice, a plurality ofperforated agitatingknives secured to said shaft, and a curved partitionprovided with a downwardly-extending apron.

6. A housing provided with an intakeopening, and an exit-opening, acurved end plate secured near the intake-opening of said housing, acurved guard-plate placed adjacent to said end plate to form a channel,a shaft passing transversely through said housing, and a plurality ofperforated agitatin plates secured to said shaft and rotating adjacentto the end of said channel, a curved partition provided with adownwardly-extendin apron, a second shaft passing throug said housing, aplurality of plates secured to said shaft, and a plurality ofagitating-knives secured to said plates, said plates having oppositeedges recurved, an inclined tail-plate secured adjacent to theexit-opening within said housing provided with a downwardly-extendingapron, and means to operate said shafts.

7. In an amalgamator, a housing provided with an intake-opening and anexit-opening, a curved end plate secured near the intake- 0 ening ofsaid housing, a curved guardp ate placed adjacent to said end plate toform a channel, a curved partition provided with adownward-extendingapron, a second curved guard-plate positioned adjacentto said partition to form a secondchannel, and a plurality of shaftspositioned within said housing, each shaft being provided with aplurality of perforated agitating plates and knives secured to saidshaft and rotated inclined tail-plate secured adjacent to said thereonand adjacent. to said partition, an exit-opening within said housingprovided means to operate said shafts. with a downwardly-extendingapron, and

8. In an amalgamator, the combination means to operate said shaft, allarranged sub- 5 with a housing prov ded with an intake and stantially asand for the purpose set forth. 20

an exit opening, a curved end plate secured In testimony whereof weaffix our signanear said intake-opening, a curved guardtures in presenceof witnesses.

plate placed adjacent to said end plate to CHARLES E. GARD. form achannel, a curved partition provided JOHN W. LYNN. 10 with adownwardly-extending apron, a sec- Witnesses as to Charles E. Gard ondcurved guard-plate positioned adjacent KIT CARSON, to said partition toform a second channel, a DAVID A. GARD. plurality of shafts passingthrough said hous- Witnesses as to John W. Lynn: ing, a plurality ofplates having op osite KIT CARsON,

15 edges recurved and secured to said sha ts, an O. L. THOMAS.

